Patent EA-000734-B1 (EA)
Title: Method of sorting birds in ovo
Inventor: PHELPS PATRICIA V
IPC: C12N15/12
Filed: 1997-10-03
Abstract: 1. A method of determining the gender of a bird in ovo, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of a bird egg; and determining the gender of the bird within the egg from the presence of an elevated level of said sex-related hormone in said extra-embryonic fluid. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said extra-embryonic fluid is allantoic fluid. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting step is carried out by a method selected from the group consisting of radioimmunoassay, infrared spectroscopy, artificial nose analysis, photoacoustics, and immunosensor analysis. 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said egg is a chicken egg. 5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said detecting step is carried out during the last half of incubation. 6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 11 to day 19 of incubation. 7. A method according to claim 4, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 13 to day 17 of incubation. 8. A method of sorting a plurality of bird eggs by the gender of the birds in ovo therein, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of a sex-related hormone in the extra-embryonic fluid of each of said eggs; and then separating said plurality of eggs into a first subset of eggs having elevated levels of said sex-related hormone and a second subset of eggs not having elevated levels of said sex-related hormone, so that said first subset of eggs contains birds of one sex and said second subset of eggs contains birds of the other sex. 9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of incubating said eggs together in a common incubator prior to said detecting step. 10. A method according to claim 8, wherein said separating step is followed by the step of separately incubating said first subset of eggs and said second subset of eggs to hatch. 11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of transferring said birds to a hatcher after said detecting step. 12. A method according to claim 8, farther comprising the step of transferring said birds to a hatcher concurrently with said detecting step. 13. A method according to claim 8, wherein said egg is a chicken egg. 14. A method according to claim 8, wherein said detecting step is carried out during the last half of incubation. 15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 11 to day 19 of incubation. 16. A method according to claim 13, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 13 to day 17 of incubation. 17. A method according to claim 8, wherein said extra-embryonic fluid is allantoic fluid. 18. A method according to claim 8, wherein said detecting step is carried out by a method selected from the group consisting of radioimmunoassay, infrared spectroscopy, artificial nose analysis, photoacoustics, and immunosensor analysis. 19. A method of determining the gender of a bird in ovo, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated level of estrogen in the extra-embryonic fluid of a bird egg; and determining that the gender of the bird within the egg is a female from the presence of an elevated estrogen level in said extra-embryonic fluid. 20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said extra-embryonic fluid is allantoic fluid. 21. A method according to claim 19, wherein said detecting step is carried out by a method selected from the group consisting of radioimmunoassay, infrared spectroscopy, artificial nose analysis, photoacoustics, and immunosensor analysis. 22. A method according to claim 19, wherein said egg is a chicken egg. 23. A method according to claim 19, wherein said detecting step is carried out during the last half of incubation. 24. A method according to claim 22, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 11 to day 19 of incubation. 25. A method according to claim 22, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 13 to day 17 of incubation. 26. A method of sorting a plurality of bird eggs by the gender of the birds in ovo therein, comprising the steps of: detecting the presence or absence of an elevated estrogen level in the extra-embryonic fluid of each of said eggs; and then separating said plurality of eggs into a first subset of eggs having elevated estrogen levels and a second subset of eggs not having elevated estrogen levels, so that said first subset of eggs contains female birds and said second subset of eggs contains male birds. 27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of incubating said eggs together in a common incubator prior to said detecting step. 28. A method according to claim 26, wherein said separating step is followed by the step of separately incubating said first subset of eggs and said second subset of eggs to hatch. 29. A method according to claim 26, farther comprising the step of transferring said birds to a hatcher after said detecting step. 30. A method according to, claim 26, farther comprising the step of transferring said birds to a hatcher concurrently with said detecting step. 31. A method according to claim 26, wherein said egg is a chicken egg. 32. A method according to claim 26, wherein said detecting step is carried out during the last half of incubation. 33. A method according to claim 31, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 11 to day 19 of incubation 34. A method according to claim 31, wherein said detecting step is carried out from day 13 to day 17 of incubation. 35. A method according to claim 26, wherein said extra-embryonic fluid is allantoic fluid. 36. A method according to claim 26, wherein said detecting step is carried out by a method selected from the group consisting of radioimmunoassay, infrared spectroscopy, artificial nose analysis, photoacoustics, and immunosensor analysis.